This day in history

[February 26, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Feb. 26, the 57th day of 2011. There are 308 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Feb. 26, 1861, Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., received its initial funding from its namesake, businessman Matthew Vassar, who presented the newly formed Board of Trustees with more than $400,000 in securities. (Although created exclusively for women, Vassar went co-educational in 1969.)

On this date:

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from exile on the Island of Elba.

In 1870, an experimental air-driven subway, the Beach Pneumatic Transit, opened in New York City for public demonstrations.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure establishing Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

In 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

In 1940, the United States Air Defense Command was created.

In 1945, a midnight curfew on night clubs, bars and other places of entertainment was set to go into effect across the nation.

In 1952, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb.

In 1970, National Public Radio was incorporated.

In 1987, the Tower Commission, which probed the Iran-Contra affair, issued its report, which rebuked President Ronald Reagan for failing to control his national security staff.

In 1993, a bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.

Ten years ago: A U.N. tribunal convicted a Bosnian Croat political leader (Dario Kordic) and a military commander (Mario Cerkez) of war crimes for ordering the systematic murder and persecution of Muslim civilians during the Bosnian war.

Five years ago: On the final day of the Turin Winter Olympics, Sweden beat Finland 3-2 to win the men's hockey gold. Germany finished first in overall medals with 29 and golds with eleven, while the Americans won 25 medals overall, nine of them gold. Drew Lachey leaped to victory with professional partner Cheryl Burke on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."

One year ago: New York Gov. David Paterson announced he wouldn't seek re-election amid a criminal investigation over his handling of a domestic violence complaint against a top aide. (Investigators found no evidence of witness tampering.) At the Vancouver Olympics, the Americans reached 34 medals with a silver and a bronze in short-track speedskating and two more were clinched with the men's hockey team and men's team pursuit in speedskating advancing to medal events.

Today's birthdays: Singer Fats Domino is 83. Country-rock musician Paul Cotton (Poco) is 68. Actor-director Bill Duke is 68. Singer Mitch Ryder is 66. Rock musician Jonathan Cain (Journey) is 61. Singer Michael Bolton is 58. Actor Greg Germann is 53. Democratic National Chairman Tim Kaine is 53. Bandleader John McDaniel is 50. Actress Jennifer Grant is 45. Rock musician Tim Commerford (Audioslave) is 43. Singer Erykah (EHR'-ih-kah) Badu is 40. Rhythm-and-blues singer Rico Wade (Society of Soul) is 39. Olympic gold medal swimmer Jenny Thompson is 38. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kyle Norman (Jagged Edge) is 36. Rock musician Chris Culos (O.A.R.) is 32. Rhythm-and-blues singer Corinne Bailey Rae is 32. Country singer Rodney Hayden is 31. Actress Taylor Dooley is 18.

Thought for today: "Only the mediocrities of life hide behind the alibi 'in conference.' The great of this earth are not only simple but accessible." -- Isaac Frederick Marcosson, American journalist (1876-1961)

[Associated Press]

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